The Ballantine’s line of blended Scotch whiskies is a virtual cash cow for parent company Pernod Ricard. It is the no.1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the no.2 Scotch whisky in the world, with the range selling over 70 million bottles a year worldwide.It is good to see there’s still a little room for innovation in such a big brand. Case in point: a new whisky that aims to highlight “the characteristics and flavors that European oak contributes.”
For this global travel release known as Ballantine’s 21 Year Old Signature Oak Edition – European Oak, master blender Sandy Hyslop selected whiskies that had been matured in sherry casks to develop the taste profile. Sherry casks were chosen over American oak casks because of their size: sherry barrels are larger than American oak casks, helping the vessels “to deliver a unique flavor due to their effect on the ageing process.”
Signup now to make sure you don't miss out on the latest whiskey news and deals.
By Signing up, you accept and agree to our Terms of Services and you acknowledge our Privacy Statement. The Whiskey Wash is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Signup now to make sure you don't miss out on the latest whiskey news and deals.
By Signing up, you accept and agree to our Terms of Services and you acknowledge our Privacy Statement. The Whiskey Wash is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
“I nose each and every cask to ensure a balance between the liquid and the wood, something George Ballantine – a pioneer in the art of maturing whisky in quality casks – would have approved of,” said Hyslop in a statement. “With the Ballantine’s 21 Year Old Signature Oak Editions, I wanted to pay tribute to our founder and release expressions that demonstrate to consumers how cask maturation and oak influence transform our whisky.”
This whisky, bottled at 40% ABV and pricing around $225 a bottle, will be the first of two planned “Signature Edition” releases coming up. The other will be focused upon American oak, which should allow owners of both to compare them side by side to see if European or American oak is more to their liking.
Trending Content
